Coated base material



Nov. 10, 1936. R, r JQHNSTON y2,060,083

COATED BASE MATERIAL Filed Aug. 20, 1931 Cil Patented Nov. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE Bakelite Corporation, poration of Delaware Application August 20,

21 Claims.

This invention relates to materials intended for exposure to weather and for that purpose provided with protective coatings. The base material may be wood, cement, felt obtained from animal or vegetable fibres, paper, etc. or various compositions including them. More particularly the invention relates to coated base materials intended for roong and the description which follows is therefore specifically addressed to this embodiment of the invention.

Roofing base materials comprise in general shingles or other shapes of wood or felt and sometimes cement compositions. Wood shingles when coated are customarily dipped in an oil stain; however, the stain leaches out after a brief time due to the action of rain and sun and the coating must therefore be frequently renewed. Felt base materials in the form of shingles or continuous strips have coatings of asphalt; but as asphalt-coated felt materials do not satisfactorily withstand changing weather conditions, it has been proposed to increase their durability by the application of crushed slate or the like. But this again presents many serious faults. For one thing the absorption of heat by asphalt-coated materials when exposed to the summer sun causes the asphalt to soften and flow to a very marked degree, and this condition is greatly accentuated by the weight of the superposed crushed slate; furthermore the heat in time dries the asphalt so that its grip on the slate particles is lost and they are readily separated from the base material. On the other hand in winter weather the asphalt shingle becomes porous and brittle, so that moisture penetrates and is absorbed to rot the felt base and result in rapid deterioration, and the asphalt loses its cementing and gripping qualities. After a shingle has absorbed moisture in winter, the next high temperature resoftens the asphalt and seals the moisture within the shingle; then during the heat of summer the moisture expands to form blisters on the surface of the shingle as well as causing unequal contraction and expansion of the shingle which results in curling. On account of this loss and deterioration, the shingles become limp and flabby so that the wind can lift them up and eventually destroy them.

According to the present invention these defects in roong materials, whether wood, cement composition or felt base, are largely overcome and their life and appearance greatly prolonged. Particularly with reference to felt base materials it is found that the present invention not only counteracts to a large extent the destructive eiects of sun and rain, but imparts a strength New York, N. Y., a. cor- 1931, Serial No. 558,247

and a stiffness to the material, that permits a thinner felt base and/or a greater proportionate exposure of the surface. 'I'hese and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the description which follows.

The invention in one aspect comprises the application to a base material of a coating of granular material, which may be sand, crushed quartz, crushed slate or other suitable materials, secured to the base material by a cementing layer or bond which is waterproof and also non-softening under the action of a hot sun. The cementing layer may be any suitable oil composition containing extending material such as pigments or the like to yield a film that is hardenable by oxidation or polymerization to a non-softening condition; a film of this character shows adhesive properties for a superposed granular material, and its adhesive property together with resistance to deterioration is markedly extended by the granular covering. However, the preferred form of oil type of bonding agent is an oil composition containing a resin which is suspensible or miscible therewith. The resin may be a natural resin as copal,dammar,rosin, etc., which with tung oil, for example, can be made to yield compositions of greater durability and resistance than pigment-extended oils like linseed oil. Synthetic resin of the coumaron and ester gum types are also more or less suitable; but the synthetic resins of the polyhydric alcohol type and more particularly those of the so-called oil-soluble phenolic type are found to be greatly superior in durability and resistance to Weather as well as showing Very marked adhesive properties for superposed grains under all conditions of temperature and weather.

Oil-soluble phenolic resins, particularly some forms thereof, are likewise characterized by yielding lms having a iiexibility, toughness and adhesiveness which render them suitable as bonding agents per se for the objects herein indicated without the use of oils. Therefore another aspect of the invention comprises synthetic resins so characterized as bonding agents for securing granular coatings to base materials for use as roof-lng and the like.

Furthermore resins of this character or compo'- sitions containing them, show a remarkable resistance to weather changes and freedom from destructive oxidation and therefore they in themr selves or oil compositions containing them can be used as coatings without any protective layer of granular material showing marked improvement over coating compositions heretofore applied. The resins themselves in addition to being relatively non-oxidizing and non-softening under the heat of the sun form a flexible tough lm that is continuous and non-penetrative by moisture; in addition they do not support combustion and are poor conductors of heat. In association with oils it is found that but small percentages of such phenolic resins profoundly modify the oil characteristics so that resistance to progressive oxidation, acids and alkalies is increased out of all proportion to the resin content, thereby rendering oil compositions of much improved utility as protective media for exposed base materials.

Phenolic resins of the oil-soluble type herein referred to, that is, resins which are suspensible or miscible with oils are in general obtained by reacting a phenolic body, which may be a phenol, cresol or higher substituted phenol or derivative, with a methylene-containing agent, such as formaldehyde or its polymers or compounds, furfural, benzaldehyde, etc. and a suitable catalyst. Lower phenol and similar resins which in themselves are not miscible with oils can be made so by blending them with suilicient proportions of rosin, ester gum or other natural resins; such additions, however, injuriously affect the desirable properties of the phenolic resins in pro- 'portion to the amount included and for that reason are not desirable. Oil-soluble or suspensible resins can, however, be obtained from lower phenols without the necessity of including rosin or the like by adding an oil such as tung oil as an ingredient of the resin and preferably by reacting the oil first with the phenol and then with a methylene-containing agent. The higher phenols, such as alkyl or phenyl substituted phenols, form resins which in themselves are miscible or suspensible and which therefore exhibitin a striking manner the properties heretofore mentioned. Accordingly the last type mentioned constitutes the preferred form of phenolic resins, particularly when associated with oils.

The oils found most suitable for the purposes of this invention are the drying oils, particularly tung, linseed, rapeseed, etc. Non-drying oils, however, like castor oil, can be included; or oils including fatty acids as oleic, stearic, palmitic, or the fatty acids themselves can be substituted. These oils when mixed with resins as described form mixtures which are soluble in the usual volatile solvents such as alcohol, mineral spirits, turpentine, etc. If desired the resins may be modified by the addition of high boiling solvents such as dibutyl phthalate, tricresyl phosphate, aniline, etc. Any desired color can be given the coatings or binding layers Iby suitable pigments which when added to resins as here described are found to substantially retain their original color quality due to the protecting influence of the resins.

The invention is found to be particularly useful in connection with the manufacture of rooflngs from felt base materials and specifically felt base materials impregnated with asphalt .or other suitable/bituminous material and having applied theretoa layer of crushed slate or similar material of impervious nature. When such a treated base material is provided with a coating of the nature above described and particularly a coating including a synthetic phenolic resin in admixture with oils or their equivalents, it is found that the tendency for the asphalt to ilow under the action of a hot sun is minimized and furthermore any shrinkage or contraction caused by cold weather is not suilcient to permit entrance of moisture and resulting deterioration. Furthermore with an intemediate layer of crushed slate or the like, any tendency of the, asphalt to bleed into the applied coating is overcome.

As a granular surfacing material the preferred form is fine, light colored silica sand. This crystalline mineral substance reflects a great deal of the light but, at the same time, is translucent and somewhat transparent so that the color of the underlying bonding layer is revealed to enhance the beauty and appearance of the roofing. Moreover it filters out actinic rays which are a cause of deterioration of roong materials. Some of the sand grains may be entirely embedded in and coated by pressing them into the bonding layer during manufacture of the shingle, but preferably the surfacing layer of sand grains is only partially embedded therein. The projecting points of sand grains afford a protection from the abrading action of driving storms or sliding snow and ice to which all roofs are subject to thereby retain the gloss and freshness of the bonding layer which would otherwise become dulled. In the preferred type of roofing, enough sand is therefore used to form a substantially continuous layer for its outer surface. The surface which is exposed to the weather thereby becomes a silica surface which is one of the most weather resistant surfaces known. The appearance of the roofing then is due to the color of the pigment or dye in the bonding layer, and the gloss of the bonding layer combined with the transparency and reflectivity of the sand.

With a sand coating and intermediate bond applied to slate-asphalt-felt base the small sand granules get down in between the larger slate particles. This has a decidedly stiffening effect on the roofing in addition to the stiiening effect of the bonding agent. A felt base shingle tends to curl up under the force of the Wind or the like to compress the upper surface; but with the spaces between the slate pieces filled with small sand granules there is less opportunity for the pieces of slate to approach each other and the shingle is thereby stiffened. The stiffening effect is further increased by the bonding agent particularly when of the resinous type heretofore described.

These, and other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing which, however, must be considered as merely illustrating and in no way limiting the invention, to the embodiment shown and described.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, a felt base shingle is shown on the accompanying drawing, it being understood that the invention may be applied to shingles of other materials and to other forms of roofing materials such as roll or strip roof-lng. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of a finished shingle;

Fig.'2 is an enlarged detailed section through the coating and a part of the body of the shingle shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the under-side of the shingle of Fig. 1,'illustrating the way in which a reinforcing strip can be made part of the edge of the shingle;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the shingle before a forward edge of a flap made part of the shingle blank has been folded to form the reinforcing strip; and

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

The body 2 of the shingle illustrated is of felt which may be in the form of layers 4. Followa,0oo,oss

ing the usual procedure the surface portion of the body 2, can-be impregnated with a thinly fluid or low melting point asphalt 8, and a layel 8, of heavier or higher melting point asphalt is applied on the surface ofthe body. Where the shingle' body is not specially impregnated with an asphalt 8, impregnation occurs when the asphalt layer 8 is applied on the surface of the shingle. Rather large pieces I8, of slate, for instance, pieces about of an inch or somewhat larger in breadth are thereupon applied as usual to the asphalt layer 8. Up to this point the practice customarily followed in the manufacture of felt base rooflngs is applied.

A bonding layer I2 of the nature herein described is applied over the slate pieces I8 and exposed portions of the asphalt layer 8. For example the bonding agent can be a synthetic resin obtained by reacting a phenyl-substituted phenol with an aldehyde and thereafter digested with tung oil, or tung oil and linseed oil. The bonding agent is preferably dissolved in a suitable volatile solvent such as mineral spirits or others as previously mentioned, so that the bonding agent not only coats the base of slate but works down into the crevices and contacts with the asphalt layer 8. 'I'he solvent also softens somewhat the exposed portions of the asphalt so that the resin forms a substantial union with the asphalt but on account of the restricted areas of contact caused by the interposed slate particles neither the asphalt nor the resin bleed materially into each other. 'I'he resulting shingle is one which has a surface completely covered with a continuous impervious non-softening film, modified by color pigments or the like.

In the manufacture of the shingle the asphalt layer 8 is applied to the body while the asphalt, and sometimes the body, are warm enough so that the asphalt will run, whereupon the pieces of slate are spread over the asphalt, and the shingle is passed in contact with rollers which cause the slate pieces to embed themselves in the asphalt layer 8. Although the bonding or filmforming agent may be applied to a cold shingle, it is deemed preferable that the shingle be somewhat warm. The hot and somewhat soft condition of the asphalt not only enables the agent to bond with the asphalt but very quickly drives the volatile solvent out of the agent. The agent is also preferably applied in any suitable manner to the edges to protect them. Sealing the edges is very important as the felt of the usual shingle tends to open up along the edges allowing moisture to enter the shingle body, which rots the felt and causes the shingle to curl at the edge. The waterproof film seals the edges and when it hardens. the edges of the felt are held together with a material which is unaffected by the weather and will not gradually yield or rub off as will soft asphalt, nor will it strip in cold weather as will hard asphalt.

The coated area may be only the edges and the surface which is exposed when the shingle is in use but preferably extends to the nailing line which is usually one inch higher than the exposed area. This leaves the majority of the unexposed area in a pliable condition to mold itself to the roof deck and seal the roof from driving rain. However, the entire shingle surface may be coated if desired.

If desired, the shingle may be used with the film as the exposed surface but preferably relatively small particles or granules I4, of silica sand, quartz sand, or other mineral substance, or ground glass are embedded in the resin. These are applied before all of the solvent has left the agent either by driving them into the resin, for instance by a blast of air, or by spreading the sand by gravity means or otherwise on the shingle and rolling the granules into the agent, or by a cornbination of both methods. After the upper surface and edges of the shingle are sanded the back of the shingle may again be coated with the bonding agent and sanded in the same way. Sufficient sand may be and preferably is used to force some of the granules completely into the bond and between the pieces of slate and even partially into the asphalt in the crevices between the pieces of slate. 'Ihe granules within the agent are therefore completely covered by it and firmly bonded together thereby when it hardens. The resulting article is a base carrying an asphaltic covering with large and small granules all bonded and cemented together into a solid mass by the bonding material with sand granules forming an outermost layer, preferably not entirely coated but only partially embedded. With granules pro- Jectlng above the bonding surface there is no tendency for shingles to stick together, even though one is stacked on top of another as they come from the machine before the agent is dry. This is highly desirable from a manufacturing point of view as it removes the necessity of waiting for the bonding agent to dry before the shingles are stacked or bundled.

Different color effects may be obtained, if desired, by forming rows or other designs of translucent, transparent or colored sand particles.r

Sand grains previously dyed, coated or otherwise colored may be used. The colored coated sand grains may easily be produced by thoroughly mixing the sand with colored weather resistant agents of the types previously described herein. Enough sand can be so mixed to form a plastic mass which is then rolled relatively thin and permitted to harden, after which it is crushed and screened to obtain the colored granules of the desired size.

While a stiff shingle, which quality is increased by the sand particles lying between the larger pieces of slate is thus obtained, further increase in the stiffness of the shingle, particularly at the exposed butt edge, is secured by fastening a reinforcing strip I6, to the edge. The reinforcing strip furthermore gives the appearance of a much thicker shingle. For convenience in manufacture, and to most effectively seal the butt edge I1, the reinforcing strip I6, may be a part of the shingle body which is folded under so as to lie flat against the body, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 3. To facilitate the folding of this portion and to make a strong shingle, elongated scores I8, are preferably cut into or otherwise formed in, the body of the shingle across the line 20, on which the strip I8, is folded. The elongated scores preferably do not extend entirely through the shingle body, in order not to destroy the surface of the felt, and lie at a slant to the line of fold 20. 'I'he angular position of the scores I8, renders the shingle body somewhat yieldable on the line of fold but yet the scores do not weaken the body too much as they would if parallel to the line of fold. Scores which lie at a right angle to 'the line of fold are not desirable because they do not overcome the tendency of the outer surface to break when the fold is made and to spring back into the at position. lThe slanting scores combine the advantages of both of the other types of scores and lessen the tension of the folded fibers so that there is less tension on the bonding material which bonds the reinforcing strip to the shingle. It will readily be understood that the reinforcing strip I6, need not be a folded part of the shingle body but may be a separate piece of material. However, it is preferably bonded to the shingle in the manner Just described.

A bonding medium preferably of the synthetic resin type is used to fasten the reinforcing strip I8, in position against the under surface of the shingle. The binder is applied to the two adjacent surfaces in' a thinly fluid condition so that it runs into the openings of the scores I8 and spreads out into the body of both the shingle and reinforcing strip, as is shown in Fig. 5. The binder thoroughly impregnates and holds fast to the fibers of the body and enters into the interstices thereof, or bonds with the asphalt wherever the felt is impregnated with asphalt, and thereafter hardens, forming what may conveniently be likened to mushroom heads or anchors 22, within the bodies of both the shingle and the reinforcing strip. The heads 22, are Joined by solid masses or rods 24, of binder thus firmly bonding the reinforcing strip to the shingle. In addition there is the usual Junction formed by the layer 26, of binder between the contacting surfaces. The bonds 24, occur at thepoin'ts where the scores Il, cross each other, as is shown in Fig. 3.

Although the previous description hasdealt specifically with the application of a coating to an asphalt and felt shingle, it is obvious that the invention may be applied to other ,articles and materials, for instance strip materials, a's well as wood and cement shingles or tiles or siding and the like which are comprised in the term roofing. A resin-containing coating as described either colored or not and with or without a sand facing, greatly improves the appearance and/or life of wood and cement rcofings, as it more or less enters the pores of the wood or cement and forms an extremely tight bond as well as a continuous durable film to seal them from entry of moisture, etc. When wood shingles are exposed to rain, the moisture enters the shingle causing it tosplit, check and curl and eventually to decay, while in the case of cement-asbestos shingles the absorption of moisture weakens the cement-asbestos structure. Moreover the usual colored shingles of either wood or cement are very costly and the colors do not last. In the case of colored cement shingles the expensive pigments are mixed with the plastic cement magma and are distributed throughout it, but the colors fade from the outer surface and the shingles have a poor appearance although the colors may be brilliant just under the surface. With a colored resinous coating, however. the colors are on only the exposed surface where they are needed and they will hold their brilliancy because they are protected both by the binder from the weather and the activeI rays of the sun as well as by sand when4 so surfaced. It is therefore recognized that these and various other modifications and applications may be made and it is to be understood that the-invention is to be construed as broadly as the claims, taken in conjunction with the prior art, may allow.

I claim:

1. Roofing comprising a base, and a lm of waterproof and non-softening character on said base, said film including an oil anda synthetic resin suspended therein, relatively large particles of mineral material bonded to the base and relatively smaller particles of mineral material between the larger particles, the two sets of particles being embedded in and bonded by said film.

2. Roonng comprising a base, and a film of waterproof and non-softening character on said base, said nlm including an oil and a synthetic resin of a phenolic type. relatively large particles of granular material bonded to the base and relatively smaller particles of granular material between the larger particles, the two sets of particles being embedded in and bonded by said nim.

3. Roofing comprising a base, a waterproof and non-softening bonding agent including an oil and a phenolic resin suspensible in the oil, and a granular surfacing material secured by said agent.

4. Coated base roofing material comprising a bituminous impregnated base, interspersed impervious material in crushed form appliedto said base, and a waterproof and non-softening coating superposed on said impervious material and contacting the bituminous base in the interstices between the interspersed impervious material, said coating including an oil and dissolved synthetic resin.

5. Coated base roofing material comprising a bituminous impregnated base. impervious material in crushed form applied to said base, and a waterproof and non-softening coating superposed on said impervious material, saidv coating including a synthetic resin of the oil-suspensible type.

6. Coated base roofing material comprising a bituminous impregnated base, impervious material in crushed formapplied to said base, a waterproof and non-softening coating superposed on said impervious material, said coating including an oil-synthetic resin composition and a surfacing of light-transmitting granular material.

'1. Coated base roofing material comprising a bituminous impregnated base, impervious material in crushed form applied to said base, a waterproof and non-softening colored coating superposed on said impervious material, said coating including an oil-synthetic iesin composition and a surfacing of silica sand smaller in size than the impervious material to transmit the color and to rigidify the roofing material.

8. Coated base material comprising a bituminous impregnated base, crushed slate applied to said base, and-a waterproof and non-softening coating superposed thereon of a synthetic resin Aoil composition.

9. Coated base roofing material comprising a bituminous impregnated base, crushed slate applied to said base, a waterproof and non-softening synthetic resin coating superposed thereon and sand partially embedded in said coating.

10. In a method of making roofing material with an intensified color surfacing, the steps comprising providing a base, applying an adhesive layer on said base, applying a surfacing on said adhesive layer comprising colored mineral particles and partially embedding said mineral particles in said adhesive layer, said mineral4 particles having applied thereto a coating comprising a synthetic resin oil composition sufflciently thin to preserve the texture of said mineral particles and to produce roong material with intensified colored particles and which are more securely held to the base, and to stiffen the material in the coated portion.

11. Roofing comprising a base including a layer of plastic bituminous material and a film of waterproof and non-softening material including a synthetic resin on said base and covering said bituminous material.

12. Roofing comprising a base including a layer of bituminous material and a film of waterproof and non-softening character on said base. said film including an oil and a synthetic resin suspended therein.

13. Roofln'g comprising a base including a layer of bituminous material and a lm of waterproof and non-softening character on said base contacting with said bituminous material, said film including an oil and a synthetic resin suspended therein.

14. Roofing comprising a base including a layer of bituminous material and a film of waterproof and non-softening character on said base, said film including an oil and a synthetic resin of the phenolic type.

15. Coated base roofing material comprising a bituminous' coated base, granular mineral material bonded to the base.' a waterproof and nonsoftening resinous coating over said granular material and smaller sized granular material embedded in said coating between the granules of the first mentioned granularmaterial to rigidify the roofing material.

16. Roofing material comprising a bituminous coated base, interspersed coarse granules partially embedded in the bituminous coating and material in the interstices between the coarse granules comprising a composition including a waterproof and non-softening bonding agent and fine granular particles.

17. In a method of. making a roofing material the steps comprising providing a base having a surfacing of interspersed relatively large granular particles secured thereto by a bituminous adhesive, applying over the bituminous base and in the interstices between the relatively large granular particles, a composition including a hardenable waterproof and non-softening synthetic resin bonding agent and relatively ner granular particles whereby said base is stiffened and said relatively large granular particles are more securely anchored to the base.

18. Roofing comprising a base including a bituminous facing, a coating of waterproof and non-softening material including a synthetic resin on said base and covering said facing, and an outer surfacing of granular material.

19. Rooiing comprising a base including a bituminous facing, a coating of waterproof and non-softening material including a synthetic resin on said base and covering said bituminous facing, and granular material secured to said coating and facing.

20. Roofing comprising a base including a facing of bituminous material and a coating of waterproof and non-softening material including a synthetic resin on said base and edge portions thereof, and covering said bituminous material.

2l. Roofing comprising a base including a facing of bituminous material and a coating of waterproof and non-softening material including a synthetic resin on said base and edge portions thereof and covering said bituminous material and a granular surfacing secured by said coating.

ROBERT T. JOHNSTON. 

